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EXTENTION OF THE HARVEST PERIOD OF RASPBERRIES IN BELGIUM (MODERATE MARITIME CLIMATE)
Summer raspberries in open air yield in June and July, primocanes from mid August till end September.
More and more soil cultures are covered by rain shelters resulting in a better fruit quality.
By extending the harvest, three harvest periods are aimed at: before June – July, between the harvest of summer raspberries and primocanes and, finally, after the supply of primocanes in open air.
The harvest of summer raspberry can be advanced for about 14 days by using plastic tunnels.
In heated cultures in greenhouses harvesting can start from mid April.
Because of Phytophthora and the possibility of a second crop, raspberries in greenhouses are grown in containers.
Also in primocanes, canes from previous year give production in the same period as summer raspberries, the new canes giving production the rest of the year.
Harvesting raspberries from mid July, between summer raspberries and primocanes in open air, is possible by cultivating Autumn Bliss in plastic tunnels.
This method is frequently applied.
An other – more lucrative – method is cold storing the summer raspberry plants (especially Marwe) at – 2°C until the beginning of May.
To harvest raspberries after primocanes in open air it is also necessary to use cold- stored plants.
In theory summer raspberries and primocanes can be used.
In practice cultivation is mainly done with summer raspberries.
In using this cultivation practice the plants should be kept in cold storage until the beginning of August.
A better cultivation method, a different storing system and a better climate when starting the culture have improved the production results considerably.